The present invention relates to the electrical, electronic and computer arts, and, more particularly, to improvements in colorimetric or fluorescence analysis.
Various methods of chemical analysis use color paper bands (e.g., micro paper analytic device—μPAD, lateral flow, etc.) with reagents for comparison with reference colors to obtain a qualitative interpretation (e.g., whether or not a target substance is present) and/or a quantitative interpretation (e.g., a concentration value of the target substance). Quantitative color analysis in particular often requires a color judgement by the user that is dependent on her visual accuracy and other factors, such as the light environment at the moment of the analysis and visual fatigue.
Currently, systems are available to execute colorimetric analysis using smartphone cameras. However, the current available solutions suffer from one or more deficiencies: The form factor of a conventional solution is typically suitable only for a very specific model of smartphone (e.g., Apple iPhone 5s), which vastly limits the number of people that can use the solution and demands customization for every different mobile device. A conventional solution often does not take into account environmental variables, which might influence the chemical reaction dynamics and, thus, the color obtained. A conventional solution typically uses ambient environment light or a flashlight as a illumination source, and hence is restricted to the visible spectrum, and also cannot be adjusted by the user.